ISHOF Inductees - 2004
Bob Persson - Promoter
Ostersund, Sweden
Bob Persson
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Bob has been a snowmobile racer, snowmobile sales representative, snowmobile article writer, Chairman of the Swedish Snowmobile Industry Association (SSIA) and he was also a co-founder of a snowmobile club. In the early 1960s, his family's business started selling Ski-Doo snowmobiles along with their main line of Volvo automobiles. In 1964, Bob's interest in snowmobiles brought him to experience the thrill and excitement of racing snowmobiles in Sweden and Bob realized snowmobiling could be a great family sport to enjoy. With those thoughts in mind, Bob became active locally, helping to form a local snowmobile club in which he became the first Chairman. Bob's family's business later started manufacturing its own professional utility snowmobile line called Aktiv. While working at Harley-Davidson in Wisconsin, Bob wrote some articles for Snow Goer magazine for the trade and consumer issues, participated in a DNR training course for Snowmobile Safety Instructors at Trees For Tomorrow Camp in Eagle River, Wisconsin. He also test rode for them with their Harley-Davidson snowmobiles. On March 23, 1973 he broke that season's record by completing 422 miles in 8 hours. When returning to Sweden, Bob traveled throughout Northern Sweden and Norway acquiring dealerships for their family's business snowmobile line. In the 1980s, Bob was active in bringing an oval racing circuit to Scandinavia, known as Sno Pro. Also during this time, he was Chairman of the SSIA which represented four (4) Swedish manufacturers and four (4) importers. In July 1985, Bob personally participated in the testing of snowmobiles for the Indian Army on a glacier in India at an elevation of 17,000 feet. The Indian Army needed snowmobiles to guard part of their borderline. Through many years, Bob promoted and sold snowmobiles to many regions of Europe. He has promoted the snowmobile brands of Aktiv, Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat and Polaris for business, pleasure and racing at one time or another. Bob's snowmobile trip of a lifetime was in the year 2000 when he rode with Edgar Hetteen from Bethel to Fairbanks.
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Don Lumley - Volunteer and Club Organizer
Garson, Ontario CANADA
Don Lumley
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Don has been active in the sport of snowmobiling for over 35 years, from founding organizations, leader in fund raising activities, special events and promoting safe snowmobiling. Don is known for his contributions of time and efforts on local, national and international levels. Don was instrumental in founding a snowmobile club, the Nickel Belt Snow Spirits, in Garson, Ontario. He was the founding President of the Sudbury Basin. Don was instrumental in helping to develop the Snowmobile Trail Officer Patrol, which created a working partnership between police and snowmobilers. He has served as president of many organizations such as the Sudbury Trail Plan Association, Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, Northern Ontario Snowmobile Association and Canadian Council of Snowmobile Clubs and chairman of the International Snowmobile Council. In 1993, Don was recognized as the Canadian Snowmobiler of the Year by the International Snowmobile Industry Association and in 1998 as the International Snowmobiler of the Year. Also in 1998, Don organized and led a group of 16 riders across Canada on the inaugural ride across the Trans Canada Snowmobile Trail from Newfoundland to British Columbia. As a cofounder of the Canada-based Snowmobiler Hall of Fame, he knows first hand of the commitment and dedication it takes to keep snowmobiling alive. Don was instrumental in soliciting over $500,000 of municipal grants for snowmobile trail upgrades and marketing of Ontario's snowmobile trails. Don was instrumental also in securing funding of $2 million for trail support in the Sudbury area from the Minister of Northern Development. Don's commitment to recreation involves serving on the local Parks and Recreation committee and as President at one time or another of the many snowmobile-related organizations. He is recognized internationally for his enthusiasm for the sport of snowmobiling.
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